Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Tourism Announce New Licensing Initiative

Ministry of Commerce and Industry and Qatar Tourism

The Tourism Licensing Department at Qatar Tourism, in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI), has launched a joint initiative to streamline licensing procedures for tourism establishments and businesses. This initiative covers various types of discounts, including seasonal, festival-specific, loyalty customer discounts, promotional offers, and special deals. It ensures that establishments comply with all regulations and legal requirements, promoting a safe and efficient licensing process.

This collaborative effort aims to simplify and expedite the ‘Qualitative Licensing Services’ procedures for hotels and tourism establishments, thereby stimulating the tourism sector. MoCI and Qatar Tourism intend to address the challenges that entities face when applying for promotional and price reduction licenses, as well as festival, event, and exhibition licenses. As part of this collaboration, a single annual license fee will be introduced, covering all offers and discounts provided by hotels, to be announced through their marketing plans. Visit Qatar, the primary arm of Qatar Tourism, will handle the application process for this ‘single-license’ on behalf of participants in festivals and events, streamlining procedures and enhancing sector cooperation. This approach aims to safeguard businesses, expand industry opportunities, and provide an optimal and safe tourism experience for visitors. Streamlined qualitative licensing services will be implemented this month.

Hassan Sultan Al Ghanim, Assistant Undersecretary for Consumer Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasizing its role in facilitating licensing procedures for tourism and hospitality establishments. He highlighted that obtaining the license will take just one business day, provided all terms and conditions are met and required documents are submitted, which will positively impact the entire sector’s value chain. The tourism sector is recognized as a key component of the country's economy, attracting investments and increasing revenues.

Al Ghanim added that this initiative aligns with the Ministry's efforts to develop the business environment, support business ventures, and create a favorable investment climate for entrepreneurs and investors. He emphasized the importance of collaboration with various government entities to streamline approval and licensing processes for businesses.

Omar Al Jaber, Acting Chief of the Tourism Development Sector at Qatar Tourism, commented that the new licensing initiative aims to enhance tourism offerings and protect the activities of relevant businesses. This will allow the sector to intensify its promotional efforts, offering attractive deals to tourists and improving their overall experience. The initiative reflects Qatar Tourism's commitment to developing and expanding the tourism sector by including more tourism and hospitality businesses and improving the licensing protocol's efficacy and transparency.

Qatar Tourism is dedicated to working with private and public stakeholders to facilitate licensing processes, making it easier for tourism establishments to operate and revitalizing the sector. The continuous improvement of Qatar’s licensing landscape aims to address challenges faced by hotels, reduce financial strain during off-peak seasons, and ease application barriers. By enhancing the tourism landscape, Qatar seeks to encourage local and international investment, fostering sustainable growth in the sector.

The primary goals of this collaborative initiative are to protect business interests and maintain high-quality licensing standards to uphold the tourism sector's reputation.

 

Source: The Peninsula Qatar